The question “Facebook or TikTok?” is the wrong one. They’re two channels with different games. Whoever puts 100% of budget on one of them leaves money on the table. What matters is knowing what each does best and allocating accordingly.
We’ve run significant campaigns on both platforms in recent years: Motorola (Facebook-heavy, B2C hardware), Mondly (60/40 split TikTok/Meta, consumer app), Creative Tim (80% TikTok, B2B dev tools). The data from these campaigns leads to clear patterns.
CPM: TikTok cheaper, but not everywhere
In 2026, on our verticals: average TikTok CPM 4-8 EUR, average Facebook CPM 9-14 EUR. The difference comes from less competition on TikTok for certain audiences. But: on 40+ year-old audiences or senior B2B, Facebook is still more efficient.
Intent: Facebook wins
The user on Facebook is more ready to buy. The scroll is calmer, attention is longer, the feed mixes with personal life (which raises attachment to buying decisions). ROAS on Facebook is, on average, 20-30% higher for the same creative and offer.
At Orient Ceramic, consideration campaigns performed better on Facebook. On TikTok we generated awareness and traffic, but final conversion happened in retargeting on Meta.
Discovery: TikTok wins
TikTok’s FYP is the most efficient discovery machine in the current ecosystem. The user doesn’t search for you, you appear. For new products, emerging categories or rebranding, TikTok brings reach at unbeatable CPM.
At Mondly, 100M+ organic views on TikTok created a warm audience that then converts on Meta. TikTok fills the funnel, Facebook closes it.
Creative: same hook, different executions
The hook that works is the same. Execution differs: on TikTok, native UGC, phone, CapCut editing, zero polish. On Facebook, the same concept can tolerate more polish: better lighting, more formal on-screen text, more cuts.
Practical rule: produce for TikTok, repurpose to Facebook. The reverse almost never works. Facebook creative dropped on TikTok feels sponsored from the first second and gets scroll-past instantly.
Targeting: Facebook more precise, TikTok stronger on content
Meta has 20 years of behavioral data. It can target very specific audiences, with layers of interests, lookalikes, custom audiences. TikTok targets less by demographic, more by content signal (who interacted with what type of videos).
Practical implication: on Facebook you build audiences. On TikTok you build creative that attracts the audience you want. Documentation: Meta Business Help and TikTok Ads Help.
Attribution: it’s different
Facebook attributes view-through 1 day, click 7 days (default). TikTok attributes with similar windows, but the algorithm is more aggressive on view-through. Direct comparison without normalization can drag you into bad decisions.
What we do for clients: post-purchase survey tracking (“where did you first hear about us?”). Often TikTok is the mention, Facebook is last-click. Without surveys you don’t see TikTok’s real role.
The allocation I recommend
New brand, emerging category: 70% TikTok, 30% Meta (for retargeting). Existing brand, mature audience (40+): 70% Meta, 30% TikTok (for diversification and CAC). Premium B2B product: 60% LinkedIn and Meta, 40% TikTok.
At Blindspot (consumer tech, 18-34 audience), we ran 65% TikTok, 35% Meta. At Muller (traditional products, 35+ audience), the inverse.
Facebook vs TikTok isn’t a duel. It’s a combination. Whoever wastes time asking which is “better” loses time and money. The right answer is “depends on what you’re solving” and almost always: both, with different roles.